Expression of Type 2 Alveolar Cells in Mice after Single and Multiple Exposure to Chicken Barn Air

Abstract

In the present investigations, 80 healthy male mice were divided into three treatments and one control group (n=20 each). The animals from treatment groups were exposed to poultry barn air for 8 hours daily. At the end of exposure period, ten animals from each group were challenged with LPS (Lipopolysacchride) @ 100μg/ animal and remaining with normal saline solution (NSS) via intraperitoneal route. The animals were sacrificed after 9 hours. The lung tissues were collected and paraffin sections were stained with primary antibody against prosurfactant type C. The expression profile of immunopostive type 2 alveolar cells was compared among control and treatment groups. Single exposure and 6 days multiple exposures of poultry barn air resulted in significant decrease (p<0.05) in the number of type 2 alveolar cells. Single and multiple exposures followed by LPS challenge did not reveal any significant differences. There was significant increase (p<0.05) in the number of type 2 alveolar cells after 24 days of multiple exposure indicating adaptation responses of airways epithelium.